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Caffeine-Free Strategies to Stay Energized When You're Feeling Lazy

Physical activity can make us feel energized and help us to sleep better.


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Jessey Anthony

2 years ago | 5 min read

There are days I wake up feeling lazy and trapped. No matter what I do, I cannot seem to shake it off.

I feel tired and constantly fall asleep during the day. I often sit idle and feel unable to do anything productive and put off the things I want to accomplish.

Sometimes you feel your energy drained after weeks of hard work or spontaneously when you wake up and find it hard to find motivation.

Whenever you think of something you would like to do or achieve, you cannot find the energy or drive to work toward it.

Feeling exhausted, lazy, and demotivated can arguably be overwhelming and may drive you into a loop of self-sabotaging thoughts.

So what do you do when you feel no energy or motivation to do anything?

Play your favorite song

Did you know our body response to music? Science has proven that music can relieve stress. In some cases, people have regained their ability to speak by listening to music.

I remember when I was depressed, I would often play Christian songs and listen to the words. As the sounds echoed, I would feel my energy rise as my brain assimilates the positive energy expressed in the musician’s voice.

And before you know it, I’m standing up from my bed and getting ready to do my physiotherapy or laundry, whatever it is I had planned for the day.

Even today, I still use music during my workout sessions. In fact, I don’t go a day without listening to mediation music.

Because I’m always busy, I don’t always have the energy to walk around to relieve stress.

So during my five-minute meditation time,= I pause what I’m doing, put on slow music, and just listen to the sound and rhythm for five minutes before continuing with my work.

And when I’m done meditating, I will feel brand new again. It’s so magical what listening to music does to the mind and body.

Be around positive people

Some people are energy killers. The people you spend time with can either be batteries or black holes.

Batteries will give you tons of energy. They will motivate and push you beyond your limits. You know those friends you can spend all day with and not get tired of? Those are battery people.

They are like light bulbs. They give light to your world and fire up your energy to do almost anything.

While black holes are literally what their name is. Those that suck you in and drain your energy. You see those people you meet within 25 minutes, and you feel exhausted from being around them?

Those ones we hate being around because they give us low vibes? Yes, they are the black holes.

I’m not very good at tolerating people. If I notice your energy does not match mine, I’m distancing myself from you right that minute.

Nagging people and blame shifters fall under the category of black holes. So if you want to have high energy, stay away from black holes and surround yourself with more battery people.

Pay attention to your information channel

The information you consume can either make your feel good or make you feel bad. There are some writers that I avoid reading because I feel depressed and angry two seconds into reading their article.

I have even commented on their stories about how their negative and shallow mentality makes me feel.

If your social media content is filled with bad energy, that can drastically affect your brain. What your brain consumes can make you feel energized or weak.

Like one of the writers I unfollowed. He will post content on a never-ending world of impending doom. The world has been on the verge of collapsing before I was born yet, and it’s still standing.

Sucking in that kind of information made me nervous and scared to leave my house.

This is the same reason I stopped following political news. It’s depressing as fuck!

So pay attention to the type of content you assimilate into your brain. The tv shows, news reports, and books you read have both positive and negative impacts on your energy level.

If you want to feel confident and energized every day, watch and read contents that inspire you. And stay away from information that makes you feel angry and weak.

Watch your eating habits

If you eat food that is hard to digest, it can make you feel tired and weak.

Foods are converted into energy at different rates, but eating certain foods in certain amounts can help prevent fatigue.

You already know carbs are energy-producing food. But when do you eat them?

Foods like candy and other simple sugars can give you a quick energy boost, while others, like whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats, act as a reserve when you need to refuel.

It is better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day.

This approach can reduce your perception of fatigue because your brain, which has little energy reserves, needs a constant supply of nutrients.

Also, the time you eat is very crucial. Avoid starting the day on an empty stomach, which can leave you feeling drained.

Try to eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. That way, your breakfast won’t turn into a mid-morning snack or an appetizer followed closely by lunch.

Then give about four to five hours interval between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Force yourself to move

Have you noticed when you are idle, you feel weaker? There are days I will lay on my couch watching tv, not eating or doing anything else, yet, I feel so tired to get up and pick up the remote on the table.

According to experts, sitting idle and doing nothing can wreck our mental health.

Sedentary lifestyle choices such as sitting or lying down, with little or no physical activity, decrease blood circulation in the body and can make you feel tired.

To boost your energy level for a more productive day, engage in physical activity.

Running, dancing, meditating, working out are some of the activities that give your cells more energy to burn and circulate oxygen.

When your body is active, your brain releases higher dopamine, which helps elevate mood.

So whatever it is that interests you, do it to keep your blood circulation flowing, and you will start to feel the fatigue wear off.

Get a cold shower

I’m a shower person. Sometimes I even take three showers a day, depending on my mood.

Taking cold showers has been my stress relief therapy for years. I take a chilled shower when I feel lightheaded, washing from my head to toe.

People suffering from depression are recommended to take cold showers as electroshock therapy because cold water sends many electrical impulses to the brain.

Our body is forced to work a little harder to maintain its core temperature when we bathe with cold water.

It jolts your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins also called happiness hormones, are released in the process.

When taken regularly, cold showers can make our circulatory system more efficient. If you want to boost your energy and work smarter, a quick five-minute shower will do the trick.

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Jessey Anthony is a motivational speaker, fitness coach and relationship expert who helps people become confident in themselves in any challenges they face in life. Sign up to my newsletter & more cool stuff.

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Jessey Anthony

Jessey is a travel addict, freelance content writer and fitness coach. Check out more from me at:


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